Your Favourite Hill Climb of 2019

[roubaixtuesday]

Exactly what the title says, no matter whether competitive or leisurely.

Links and photos encouraged.

Mine is the "Shibden Wall", nr Halifax.

https://cyclinguphill.com/100-climbs/shibden-wall/

With a mate, we reckoned it would be an imperial century there and back - it was 99 miles in the end.

Probably the longest cobbled climb I've ever done, and the ride also featured Holme Moss before and Cragg Vale after. A grand day out.

 

[Slick]

No photo , link or Strava report but without doubt my highlight of 2019 was Glencoe, quite simply a magical place especially on a predawn ride. I hope to enjoy it again, weather permitting on the 27th of this month as my final point for the year on the challenge ride and quite simply work off the planned excesses of the festivities.

 

[Vantage]

What kind of sick, twisted individual labels any kind of climb as a favorite???

You need help!!!

 

[roubaixtuesday]

You need help!!!

You're offering to be my stoker for a day? Cheers! Winnats perhaps?

 

[C R]

No big climbs around here, but I love going up Church Street from Barnards Green in Malvern, followed by the climb up to the Wyche. I think it is about 2 miles going up without much leveling, and don't know what the grade is, not much compared to proper climbs I imagine.

It gets my heart pumping, and on a clear day the views at the top make the effort well worth it. Probably even @Vantage would enjoy it on such a day.

 

[Soltydog]

My favourite of this year was also on a century ride. Rode from Ilkley back home to the East Coast. First climb was Cow & Calf which I think is a bit overated, the 2nd climb though was 'great' Norwood Edge, just north of Otley. It had a bit of everything in 1.17 miles of climbing, twists & turns, short sharp bits & less steep bits to take a bit of a breather https://www.strava.com/segments/6691028?filter=club&gender=all&club_id=3889

 

[13 rider]

The Tumble on a weekend in Wales doing the Dragon tour and ride

Me flying up it not
6km at 10%
Also the Dragon ride featured the Bwlch (16.1km @ 4.9% ) Rhigos (6.1km @4.9% ) Penderyn Moir 11 in @2%) Glynneath hill (3.2km @5.4%) and Climla hill (2.8km @5.5 % ) and just for a laugh they through in the Devil's elbow as the timed climb 1.8km at 10% around the hairpins it's 30% a rather big day out
That's 3 of the top 100 climbs ticked off th add to my local one so 96 to go

 

[nickyboy]

Without doubt the Sokraki climb in Corfu. It's only 4km @ 7% so not difficult but it was amazing

Left the hotel nearby at 8am, on the climb by 8.30am. Quiet, not a soul. Narrow road with about 18 hairpins slowly snaking up to the village of Sokraki with views to Albania on the way up. Hot but there is a free cold spring in Sokraki to refresh with. And managed to see a Lammergeir (a rare type of vulture) on the way up

The descent was even better. On the limit around the hairpins, full concentration. Amazing stuff

 

[Soltydog]

Mine is the "Shibden Wall", nr Halifax.

Probably the longest cobbled climb I've ever done, and the ride also featured Holme Moss before and Cragg Vale after. A grand day out.

You should have done Trooper Lane too whilst you were out that way https://www.strava.com/segments/19508001?filter=club&gender=all&club_id=3889

 

[Globalti]

Wasn't 2019 because of my shoulder injury but in summer 2018 I climbed The Struggle, which felt like a hell of an achievement. Shame the road back down to Bowness was so rough.

 

[Slioch]

No one specific climb, as I don't deliberately set out to do hard climbs - that's loonie territory .

But, my favourite "hilly" ride this year was in the Yorkshire Dales. Start at Reeth, head west up Swaledale through Thwaite and Keld, up Stones Dale to Tan Hill, and back east down Arkengarthdale.

Total ascent probably similar to an individual climb, but what a day out! Always a pleasure to do that loop at any time of the year.

 

[Adam4868]

I like anywhere in the Trough of Bowland,Lancashire.Close enough for me if I have the time.
Otherwise I really love Sleive Gullion and the rides around the Mourne mountains in Ireland.If the weather looks half decent I might try and take my bike over for Xmas.

 

[ColinJ]

Exactly what the title says, no matter whether competitive or leisurely.

Links and photos encouraged.

Mine is the "Shibden Wall", nr Halifax.

https://cyclinguphill.com/100-climbs/shibden-wall/

With a mate, we reckoned it would be an imperial century there and back - it was 99 miles in the end.

Probably the longest cobbled climb I've ever done, and the ride also featured Holme Moss before and Cragg Vale after. A grand day out.
View attachment 496055

Despite not being far away, that is one that I haven't got round to tackling yet.

You should have done Trooper Lane too whilst you were out that way https://www.strava.com/segments/19508001?filter=club&gender=all&club_id=3889

And that is another!

We stayed in Paleokastritsa and enjoyed the holiday. I hired a bike and explored some of the island on 2 wheels. I found a nice climb with lots of hairpin bends, but I can't remember where that was.

Without doubt the Sokraki climb in Corfu. It's only 4km @ 7% so not difficult but it was amazing

Left the hotel nearby at 8am, on the climb by 8.30am. Quiet, not a soul. Narrow road with about 18 hairpins slowly snaking up to the village of Sokraki with views to Albania on the way up. Hot but there is a free cold spring in Sokraki to refresh with. And managed to see a Lammergeir (a rare type of vulture) on the way up

The descent was even better. On the limit around the hairpins, full concentration. Amazing stuff

Ah ah - THANKS - that's the one!

When I dropped the bike off post-ride I got chatting to the man who had provided it. He was a native of Corfu and had lived about 5 kms from the foot of the climb all his life but he had never even heard of it! It seemed like the islanders worked on a 'need to go there' basis. If they didn't need to go to a village for some reason, they didn't! Mind you, the crappy maps didn't help - I was trying to explain to one shopkeeper why the map that they were trying to sell me was useless. I pointed out that the ancient village we were in the middle of wasn't even on the map, and neither was the road!

 

[sheddy]

Prescott. Great action, nice scenery.

 

[Donger]

Sorry .... being my usual indecisive self again. Ruling out (unbelievably) the Col de la Colombiere and the Cote de Puget above Lake Annecy, I'd say it has to be one of two climbs I did in Skye and Lochalsh in May this year.
(1) Bealach Udal, Isle of Skye .... climbing up and over towards the Kylerhea to Glenelg Ferry:

Wilderness, tranquillity and sea views. Felt like a real adventure looping onto Skye via the bridge and returning via the ferry. Almost complete solitude. Definitely did it in the right direction. By going anticlockwise I avoided the worst of the gradient both on this climb on Skye and on the Mam Ratagan Pass back on the mainland.
(2) The high road to Dornie from Inverinate:

A perennial favourite of mine. It is easy to miss this road altogether, as it isn't even shown on the AA road atlas. When following the A road along Loch Duich towards Kyle of Lochalsh, turn right directly opposite the sign saying you are leaving Inverinate, and follow the sign for "Carr Brae Viewpoint". There are often wild goats up there, along with a handful of hippy crofters and their livestock. Once had to wait for a line of foraging stripey piglets to cross the road in front of me! In Spring you climb up through bluebell woods and the gorse is in flower. In Autumn heather is everywhere. Other than that you are alone among the ferns with your thoughts. This year I disturbed a golden eagle and had a magnificent, if fleeting, view of it taking flight. This climb is a must every time we stay in Inverinate, being directly opposite the house we stay at, and avoiding about three miles of the busy main road. There are so many superb views over Loch Duich, and when you get near the Dornie end of the road, there is an unrivalled view down over Eilean Donan Castle.